Tourney gives fresh faces a turn to shine

Aware that the WBC has taken such players as Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and Jeff Francoeur from his Atlanta Braves roster, Cox worries about the international tournament taking fans away from spring training games.

"Some of these people have paid good money for tickets, and they're not seeing some players they paid to see," Cox said.

Cox said he is curious to see if the WBC ultimately hurts attendance at Grapefruit League games in Florida.

Cox may have good reason for concern. The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports was less than half full Sunday for Atlanta's 4-0 win over the Netherlands, despite the added lure of Atlanta's John Smoltz facing Braves teammate Andruw Jones, the designated hitter for his national team.

Despite those concerns, Cox said the WBC could help him and the Braves.

Cox needs to evaluate new, younger players competing for the final roster spots. He said the WBC will help that process, because those new players are receiving more exposure as nine Braves players are in the international tournament.

"It's pretty good for me," Cox said. "It gives me a better opportunity to see the new kids we have on the roster, and it gives them a better chance to perform."

Chipper Jones and Francoeur are on the U.S. team. Closer Chris Reitsma, infielder Pete Orr and first baseman Scott Thorman are playing for Canada. Andruw Jones is the Netherlands' big name. Starting pitcher Jorge Sosa (Dominican Republic), reliever Oscar Villarreal (Mexico) and catcher Eddie Perez (Venezuela) also are with WBC teams.

Perez, recovering from shoulder surgery, isn't on Venezuela's 30-man roster but still has been asked to be with the team as a coach for the team's young players.

Another Braves starter, second baseman Marcus Giles, was away from the team Sunday for the 10th straight day following the premature birth of his daughter. That opens up more playing time for young middle infielders in camp.

While trusting that the departed players in the WBC will receive enough work to stay on schedule for being game-ready by the regular season, Cox is getting to know the new names fighting for roster spots.

It gives a few players with previous major league experience elsewhere more than just a few at-bats to show they can help the Braves.

Outfielder Michael Ryan has played in 127 major league games for Minnesota. Ryan, 28, started in center field Sunday as the Braves' leadoff hitter against the Netherlands. He started the first with a single and scored the Braves' first run.

"I'm just excited because it gets you more at-bats to try to get your timing down," Ryan said. "Of course you're trying to impress them every day, if you get one at-bat or more."

Another new name in the outfield mix, David Kelton, showed his power potential with a two-run homer and a double against the Netherlands. Kelton, 26, played in 18 games with Chicago in 2003-04 but spent all of last season at Triple-A Iowa, where he hit .283.

Matt Diaz, 26, also is competing for an outfield spot. He is a career .315 hitter in the minor leagues who already has a homer this spring. He played in 34 games with the Kansas City Royals last season, hitting .281.

One new name is not new to Cox and the Braves.

Jonathan Schuerholz, 25, has received most of the time at second base that otherwise might got to Giles and Orr.

Schuerholz, an eighth-round pick out of Auburn in 2002, is the son of Braves general manager John Schuerholz. The younger Schuerholz hit .278 at Double-A Mississippi but only .175 in 143 at-bats at Triple-A Richmond last year.

Schuerholz has only five homers in 1,479 minor league at-bats but hit a homer against the Dodgers Friday before adding a run-scoring single against Houston Saturday.

"I know I had a bad year last year at Richmond, but I know I can hit," Schuerholz said, adding he doesn't worry about anyone thinking he's in the major league camp because of his father.

"Everybody seems to think it's difficult for me, but I've been living with him as my father and as the general manager of the Atlanta Braves for a long time," he said. "I think I've proved that maybe I'm here for a reason."